Tanya M. Tlaskal on tue 2 jun 98
Hi all,
I wonder if the collective brain of all the ceramists on this planet
could help to save a small family brickworks in Hunter Valley, NSW,
Australia.
I went there yesterday to pick-up some bricks for our new kiln and found
that they are about to close their business. The reason is that their
factory site was contaminated by magnesium sulphate. This is a small
company, father and son, they pride themselves that they can manufacture
matching bricks for repairs of any old historical building. They did quite
well in this niche until a coal mine next door created a huge dump of mine
tailings right above their factory. These tailings apparently contain huge
quantities of magnesium sulphate and other salts. Their site is now
contaminated by runoff during infrequent rains or by wind-blown dust. Even
the clay that they bring from other deposits becomes quickly contaminated
and unusable.
The result is that all their brick now exhibit nasty white-yellow hand
marks and whitish deposits and that makes then unsaleable. These deposits
on the surface of their bricks cannot be removed by anything they tried.
Even the walls of their buildings and kilns show signs that the salt is
gradually penetrating everything - almost like a fungus.
My theory is that because magnesium sulphate is very soluble in water it
contaminates quickly all their raw materials. When they fire the bricks,
sulphur will escape and leave magnesium oxide behind in the body of the
bricks. When water becomes available, magnesium hydroxide moves slowly to
the surface of the brick and forms deposits of magnesium carbonate that are
much less soluble. Something like that anyway - I have not seen a
chemistry text book for more then twenty years and like the owners of the
factory cannot see any solution.
The main question is there anything that can be done about it? If nothing
then these people will have to close down because nobody is going to lend
them 3 millions of dollars to shift their manufacturing plant else where.
Any ideas ? If you have any suggestions I will pass them to them. They
are fellow clayworkers in a big trouble and need help.
Regards and thanks,
Jorge
Marcia Selsor on wed 3 jun 98
I would think the coal company should be held responsible as the cause of the
pollutant. Does the government make them responsible?
Marci in Montana
Tanya M. Tlaskal wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi all,
>
> I wonder if the collective brain of all the ceramists on this planet
> could help to save a small family brickworks in Hunter Valley, NSW,
> Australia.
>
> I went there yesterday to pick-up some bricks for our new kiln and found
> that they are about to close their business. The reason is that their
> factory site was contaminated by magnesium sulphate. This is a small
> company, father and son, they pride themselves that they can manufacture
> matching bricks for repairs of any old historical building. They did quite
> well in this niche until a coal mine next door created a huge dump of mine
> tailings right above their factory. These tailings apparently contain huge
> quantities of magnesium sulphate and other salts. Their site is now
> contaminated by runoff during infrequent rains or by wind-blown dust. Even
> the clay that they bring from other deposits becomes quickly contaminated
> and unusable.
>
> The result is that all their brick now exhibit nasty white-yellow hand
> marks and whitish deposits and that makes then unsaleable. These deposits
> on the surface of their bricks cannot be removed by anything they tried.
> Even the walls of their buildings and kilns show signs that the salt is
> gradually penetrating everything - almost like a fungus.
>
> My theory is that because magnesium sulphate is very soluble in water it
> contaminates quickly all their raw materials. When they fire the bricks,
> sulphur will escape and leave magnesium oxide behind in the body of the
> bricks. When water becomes available, magnesium hydroxide moves slowly to
> the surface of the brick and forms deposits of magnesium carbonate that are
> much less soluble. Something like that anyway - I have not seen a
> chemistry text book for more then twenty years and like the owners of the
> factory cannot see any solution.
>
> The main question is there anything that can be done about it? If nothing
> then these people will have to close down because nobody is going to lend
> them 3 millions of dollars to shift their manufacturing plant else where.
>
> Any ideas ? If you have any suggestions I will pass them to them. They
> are fellow clayworkers in a big trouble and need help.
>
> Regards and thanks,
>
> Jorge
Dwiggins, Sandra (NCI) on wed 3 jun 98
Sue the bastards! There must be some legal recourse if the mine owners have now
prevented this family from earning a living. I'll bet there are still some
lawyers around who have some shreds of conscience left and will take up a cause
such as this. Besides, if this family is contaminated by the run-off, can the
water table be far behind? Maybe some tests of the local water supply should be
conducted to see how much magnesium sulfate everybody has been drinking down
there..... After all, they finally did settle Love Canal.....
Sandy
-----Original Message-----
From: Tanya M. Tlaskal [SMTP:tanyat@hunterlink.net.au]
Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 1998 9:26 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list CLAYART
Subject: HELP - magnesium sulphate contamination
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Hi all,
I wonder if the collective brain of all the ceramists on this planet
could help to save a small family brickworks in Hunter Valley, NSW,
Australia.
I went there yesterday to pick-up some bricks for our new kiln and found
that they are about to close their business. The reason is that their
factory site was contaminated by magnesium sulphate. This is a small
company, father and son, they pride themselves that they can manufacture
matching bricks for repairs of any old historical building. They did quite
well in this niche until a coal mine next door created a huge dump of mine
tailings right above their factory. These tailings apparently contain huge
quantities of magnesium sulphate and other salts. Their site is now
contaminated by runoff during infrequent rains or by wind-blown dust. Even
the clay that they bring from other deposits becomes quickly contaminated
and unusable.
The result is that all their brick now exhibit nasty white-yellow hand
marks and whitish deposits and that makes then unsaleable. These deposits
on the surface of their bricks cannot be removed by anything they tried.
Even the walls of their buildings and kilns show signs that the salt is
gradually penetrating everything - almost like a fungus.
My theory is that because magnesium sulphate is very soluble in water it
contaminates quickly all their raw materials. When they fire the bricks,
sulphur will escape and leave magnesium oxide behind in the body of the
bricks. When water becomes available, magnesium hydroxide moves slowly to
the surface of the brick and forms deposits of magnesium carbonate that are
much less soluble. Something like that anyway - I have not seen a
chemistry text book for more then twenty years and like the owners of the
factory cannot see any solution.
The main question is there anything that can be done about it? If nothing
then these people will have to close down because nobody is going to lend
them 3 millions of dollars to shift their manufacturing plant else where.
Any ideas ? If you have any suggestions I will pass them to them. They
are fellow clayworkers in a big trouble and need help.
Regards and thanks,
Jorge
Jane Woodside on thu 4 jun 98
As a lawyer-potter I too believe that the answer most likely requires a
lawsuit or threat of same. If this were a U.S. company I would suggest either
an environmental lawyer or a real estate lawyer with knowledge of
environmental law as I'm thinking that the remedy would be damages for
trespass. They might be sufficiently large to encourage a cleanup. However
since this company is in Australia which has its own laws and specializations,
the family should consult a law firm there.
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